From The Editor...
by Price Dempler
My apologies for the late release of this issue. Business trips, new responsibilities at work, and unexpectedly difficult MBA course work all conspired to severely limit my time during March. And now that spring is at least officially here (although you couldn't prove that by the weather), T-ball, baseball and other family-related, non RC activities are also starting.
As a result of all of this, I am looking for a volunteer to take over as Editor of the Hear Ye - I don't feel that I am able to continue to commit the necessary time to keep the Hear Ye up to date and on time. So if you are interested, please contact me via e-mail at GeeBeeR1@aol.com. I will be happy to continue to help to insure a smooth transition.
From the President
by Warren Barrick
March Meeting...
Thanks to all who made the March membership meeting such a grand success. Our scale format for the evening plus late fines on dues brought out unprecedented numbers for what turned out to be a very informative and enjoyable evening.
Jeff Troy sparkled with his usual effervescence and stunning scale models were presented by David West, Joe Palmer, Rudy Forst, Joe Weizer and Mark Frankel. Each of these presenters in his own way showed us the intricacies as well as the joy of finishing great scale projects.
Larry Tudor of Glen Rock, PA used the second half of the evening to introduce us to the JPX turbine engine. He was able to show us by video and voice this fabulous innovation in model aviation.
April Meeting...
Helicopters are to be the main feature of our April membership meeting on the 9th. "Tris" Colket, our BOG rep from the helicopter group promises an enlightening evening. Who knows, maybe some of us will become "rotorheads." Come out, see, learn and enjoy!
Flying season is swiftly approaching! Why not bring your craft to show and tell on April 9th. We all had "cabin fever" during this terrible winter so there must be jillions of planes that were built between snow shoveling duties and getting prepared for subsequent storms. Bring 'em out and show 'em off! Show and tell is also a good time for you rookies to get your trainers checked out by the instructors/technicians. Rom Boutin informs me that getting your plane checked out early will increase your flying time at the field. Let's all participate in this fun activity! We can label this the "Big Blizzard Show-n-tell"; maybe it will help eliminate future winters as miserable as the one just passed.
Start of Flying Season
As the weather improves and flying time increases, let's all make a conscious effort to make 1996 the best flying season ever. Review the AMA rules of safety and the club's rules of conduct at the flying site. Each of you should have copies of these rules in your possession. The AMA sends theirs out with your annual membership and the club posts its rules on the bulletin board and there are copies in the barrel. Know them, do not violate them. FLY SAFELY! Sound checks will be carried out by the field marshals. Make sure that you keep sound within the club's guidelines.
Be cautious and alert as you handle your aircraft. Don't do anything "new" without the assistance of someone more knowledgeable than you. Keep "new" maneuvers away from the deck and flight line. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance. Speak up - someone will help you. Be courteous, announce your intentions and always be aware of other pilots; in the pits, on the runway or on your approaches. Being argumentative and boisterous is not the way to enjoy our great sport.
Fly in the box! If in doubt, bring your craft in closer or ask someone to "spot" for you. Larger planes can appear to be closer than they really are - fly them closer and avoid the boundaries. If confronted by an authority figure, cooperate and do not argue or be abusive - do the things that will avoid future confrontations.
It is with sadness that we report the death of Fred E. Warner on 3/2/96 in Naples, Florida. Fred was an active flyer during the warm months. He also contributed to the Hear Ye. We will always remember him for his skillful interpretations of "flying contraptions." Always friendly and with a winning smile, he will be missed. His obituary requested that "friends and relatives take out someone they love for an evening of enjoyment...rather than hold memorial services.
How I Regained My Lost Esteem
by John Powell
No, this is not a pop-psychology article for all of you out there that are struggling to achieve self-confidence. This is a story of loneliness and courage, of suffering and endurance, of patience and eventual salvation.
Some may remember my shock and horror last July 17th when the dreaded Bermuda Triangle Effect snatched my lovely yellow Invetec Esteem 118 out of the skies above the Daniel Boone Homestead during an ESL contest. There we were, a partnership of man and machine, competing for our honor among a gaggle of 5 or 6 other gliders at 300 feet...when suddenly - she was gone! I scanned the air in all directions, waggled the sticks, twice thought I'd found it again, but no. Vanished; maybe into a patch of misty haze over 'the swamp.'
It was a very odd sensation to be standing out on the field, during a contest, holding my transmitter, still worrying about making my 10 minute max...but there was no airplane to fly. This was also the last round and I had hopes of placing fairly well. Hmmmm.
Bearing in mind that the all-up cost of the disappeared aircraft was in the neighborhood of $600.00, I immediately set off into the swamp and dense woods to look for it! An hour later, soaked to the knees, covered with mud and about 200 ticks, I gave up the search. Back at the field, I found that I had placed 8th in Sportsman's Class despite not finishing. This did not particularly cheer me up.
A couple of days later, I went back to Reading with photocopied WANTED POSTERS describing the plane and put these into all the newspaper boxes along the local roads (not supposed to put things into MAIL boxes unless it's mail!). This tactic did not directly bring any response. Over the next several months, I went back out to do searches through the area and Marty Albion even flew me over the Homestead in a Piper Tomahawk, but I never caught a glimpse of the poor old thing. I did get pretty sick doing steep turns over the field, however!
Finally, on March 1, 1996, some 7 months later, I got THE PHONE CALL! A farmer living near the Homestead called to tell me he'd found my lost Esteem. It had apparently spent the whole time in the top of a big pine tree on his back field, but had blown down during some of the heavy gales the previous week. He said he remembered the Wanted Poster from July, but had thrown it away. When he saw the wreckage on the ground, he knew right away what it was - so my poster had helped a little. Luckily, my name/address label on the fuselage was still legible so he could phone me! The label was typed onto an Avery self-adhesive label and given one shot of Krylon clear - it was still attached and readable after some really severe exposure.
I went out the next day to collect the plane. The finder refused to accept a cash reward - so the next time I am out there I better take a case of beer or something! The foam wings and tail were pretty completely shattered and delaminated, but the 4 expensive wing servos were still in place and fairly covered. The fuselage was intact and the RC gear looked pretty good except for the battery and switch that were still soaking wet.
When I got it on the bench at home, I stripped out all of the equipment and found that the receiver and all six servos were still working - apparently normally. There was no water or corrosion damage visible in any of them! Even the connectors were all shiny. Not so for all of the other metal fittings like horns, tow hook and clevises. These were completely rusted and corroded. That's a testimonial to the general quality of Airtronics and HiTech RC equipment!
I can probably reuse the fuselage, although the exposure may have made the fiberglass brittle and several hundred spiders are annoyed with me for evicting them. I even salvaged the carbon fiber spar tubes from the wings - maybe these can be used for tail booms on some future model. So, all in all, I was pretty lucky to get my Esteem back, but I reckon I have learned three things from this:
1. DO put a durable name/address label in plain view on your model. Finders don't care about AMA numbers and they won't look inside for ID information.
2. Make your model EASY to SEE, especially gliders. Modern sailplanes seem to be particularly good stealth bombers and you have to go to extremes with color schemes and garish paint colors to increase visibility.
3. A minor point, but I think in the future, I will stay away from groups of other gliders circling in the same thermal. The planes look alike at a distance and apparently it's possible for even the smartest, most experienced and handsomest pilots to get confused about which plane is which!
From The Net
compiled by Price Dempler
Subj: RC flying
Date: 96-03-09 00:09:49 EST
From: streetro@martin.luther.edu
To: GeeBeeR1@aol.com
Just a note to tell you I enjoy your web page. I live north of Decorah, Iowa just about on the Iowa-Minnesota border. We don't have an RC club here but do have a few guys that get together whenever we can to fly. We usually fly at a farm airport where we keep a portion of the grass runway rolled and cut short. It is nice in that there are no close trees or buildings other than three small hangers. Also the noise doesn't bother anyone.
From: Jeff Kipp <kipp@corcomsv.corcom.com>
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 1996 12:57:57 -0800
To: mhmyers@netaxs.com
Subject: <no subject>
Hi!
I'm looking for the plans for the flying "trash can lid". Your page has a lot of neat flying "thing"!, so I thought I'd drop you a line. I'm also getting a 1/3 scale Lanier Laser, with a g62. I'll be the first in our club to fly giant and gas. I fly 6-7' span, and this will be my first 8' performance plane. Any suggestions?
thanks!
Jeff Kipp
Peninsula Modelers Assoc.
Kenai Alaska
Subj: We're mentioned in Model Aviation!
Date: 96-03-16 14:45:11 EST
From: mhmyers@netaxs.com (Michael Myers)
To: GeeBeeR1@aol.com
Just browsing through February's "Model Aviation" and the Valley Forge web site is mentioned on page 143. Check it out!
-Michael
Training Program Update
by Rom Boutin
Student folders containing new student permits and information pertinent to training are available to those students that were contacted. Folders will also be available at the field on 9 April 5:00 to 7:30 pm and at the general meeting same date after 8:00 pm...Folders should be in your possession prior to your receiving instructions....
Raffle News
By Joseph Pasquini, Raffle Chairman
Several prizes were won at the March meeting the two top prizes were: An ASP-61 engine won by Carl Kuehmuss and a P51 kit won by John Cserner. Attendance was greater than usual and resulted in increased ticket sales. As a result, for the first time ever, we are able to raffle a 4 Channel FM radio along with our usual assortment of prizes at the next meeting. The weather should be better so why not come to the April meeting, you might take home a new radio
B.O.G. REVIEW
By Sam Andreas, Secretary
The March meeting of the V.F.S.S. board of Governors was called to order at 7:00 PM on 3/19/96. Present were: The President, Treasurer, Secretary and 12 board members and the Chief Flight Instructor. Topics discussed were as follows:
1- The themes of the next three general meetings were discussed, these will be: Helicopters for the April meeting, The May meeting will be held at the flying field with flying/safety demos etc., Sailplanes and electric powered Aircraft will be themes for the June meeting.
2- B.O.G. member George Sprenkle presented a very concise collection of helpful hints for modelers extracted from various issues of RCM magazine. The board authorized 12 copies in booklet form to be made for use by new members.
3- The President discussed the need for an additional Refreshment Chairman to handle refreshments at general meetings. Anyone interested should contact Warren Barrick.
4- The Treasurer noted that the Port-a-Potty will be delivered to the Field the first week in April.
5- Al Campana will lend the club a TV and VCR for use at general meetings until a more permanent arrangement can be made.
6- Spot checks will be carried out starting the first week in April to verify adherence to the club's 97db policy. Obviously any new planes will require sound testing.
7- Details of the recent meeting between club officers and the new Park Superintendent and Chief Ranger were discussed.
8- It was decided that there will be no B.O.G. meeting in April.
9- It was mentioned that the VFSS membership in the Delaware Valley Federation of Model Airplane Clubs is due for renewal. The Treasurer will send a check to cover our annual dues.
10-The President suggested that the Club participate in the annual fund-raiser for Angel Flight held at Wings Field. This may entail a static display of models. Warren will look into the available options and the topic will be reopened at a later date.
11-Warren noted that the family of Ed Casson is left with an extensive collection of Airplanes and equipment, considering Ed's talent, some of the scale aircraft are works of art and quite valuable. It would be nice if the club could find some way to help the family sell the collection, possibly through advertisement or auction. If anyone has any suggestions please contact Warren Barrick.
12-The Treasurer reported the club's financial status as of 3/1/96. The meeting was adjourned at 8:10. The next meeting of the Board of Governors will be held at 7:00 on May 21st at the church. THERE WILL BE NO B.O.G. MEETING IN APRIL
Feedback or comments to:
Sam Andreas, our new HearYe editor (Thanks, Sam)
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